Self-closing oil dispensing can



J. s. BOYLAN SELF CLOSING OIL DISPENSING CAN 'Filed Feb. 26, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet .0 0/ 7 HUVIITHHMHIIIIIi Dec. 22, 1931..

J. s. BOYLAN SELF CLOSING OIL DISPENSING CAN Filed Feb. 2e, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 l INVENTQR.

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Patented Dec. 2.2i, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT o rFlcE JOSEPH S. BOYLAN, OF PONGA CITY, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR. TO CONTINENTAL OIL COM- PANY, -OF PONGA CITY', OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION '0F DELAWARE `SEIIF-CLOSING OIL DISPENSING CAN .Application Med February 26, 1931. Serial No. 518,321.

This invention relates to improvements in an .oil dispensing can and refers more particularly to a manually operated linkage for opening and closing a cover for the container l to prevent dirt, grit or other deleterious material from accumulating in the can when idle, or in the oil contained in the can.

In the dispensin of oil an' important factor is keeping the oil and oil equipmentclean l@ and dust free. Where lubricant dispensing cans are permitted to stand in filling stations, shops and along the highways where dust and grit are constantly in the air, it is impossible to kee the interior of the dispensing can (and t ereforethe dispensed oil) free from grit and dirt unless precautions are taken to keep all open cans 'and containers covered or enclosed to prevent the accumulation of du'st and grit particles in the containers. It is not always possible or feasible to keep containers enclosed in a dust free cabinet.' There is always a possibility of dirt, grit or` foreign bodies dropping inthe oil and dispensing can from the car hood during the actual operation of pouring the oil into the car. The present device offers a simple, manual opening, automatic closing cover'which forms apart of the can and which is easily manipulated from the handle and keeps the dispensing can closed during its idle time and in use.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one't of cover with parts broken away to show t e operating mechanism.

Fig. 1. v

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are modified types of cover operating mechanisms. v

The cover and its opening mechanism may be applied to any type of can. In the drawings, the mechanisms have been applied to a small lubricating oil dispensing can. The mechanism is applied to a flexible spout can, the valve mechanism for drawing oil' oil through the spout being eliminated from the drawings to simplif the showing.

In the drawings t e dispensing can is designated as 1, having a flexible spout 2, held in a raised position by means of a support 3 to `which a hook 4 is attached. The rear of the can is permanently covered as shown at 5 'and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the can shown in v along the front `edgleof the cover is a hinge 6 which supports t `e cover 7.

Referring to the mechanism shown in Fi 1, on the inside surface of the cover and a jacent the hinge is attached a curved arm 8 at the end of which is an eye 9 and near the elbow or curved portion is a perforated lug 10. lAn anchor strap 11 is soldered, riveted or otherwise fastened inside the can to the `spring 12 stretched-between the lug 10 and anchor strap 11. There is constant tension upon the spring, tending to keep the cover in a closed position. The handle of the can is attached to the container by means of an upper support 13 attached to the fixed portion of the cover and a lower support .14. The manner of attaching thehandle tol the can is entirely arbitrary as the support members may be soldered directly to the exterior curved surface of the can, if desired. The handle proper, extending between the suportsconsists of a hollow shell 15 near the bottom of which is pivoted at 16 a movable handle 17. Near the top of the movable handle is a pin 18. This pin 18 is connected by a link 19 to the eye 9 in .the end of the curved arm 8. J

The spring 12, being under tension, maintains the cover 7 closed at all times. In a closed position, the movable handle 17 is in the position shown in full lines in Fig.. 1.

When it is desired to open the cover 7 of the can by pressing forward on the pivoted handle 17, the link 19 is moved forward and,

due to the pivoting of the curved arm 8 on the hinge 6, the cover 7 is rotated at the hinge, forcing it upwardly to a raised position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. To close the can, it is necessary only to release the grlp on the pivoted handle 17, ,permitting the tension spring 12 to take effect, returning the cover 7 to a closed position and movmg the pivoted handle from the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 to the full line position shown in the same ligure.

In the mechanism shown in Fig/3, inside of the container 1 are two supports 20 and 21 which hold the vertical rod 22. Between ,the supports and around the rod is a compression spring 23 held in position by the support 21 and a pin 24, beneath which is a metal washer which abuts on the top of the spring. A portion of the top of the can as shown in Fig. 1 is preferably covered as shown at 5. Again the cover 7 is hinged on the fixed portion of the cover at 6. Beneath the cover and centrally thereof, adjacent the hinge is a loop or strap positioned close enough to the underneath surface of the cover to form a slot 26. Fixedly pivoted by means of a support 27 to the permanent portion 5 of the cover is a link 28. This link is pivoted to the support 27 at 29 and has a pin, 30 in one extremity of the link which rides in the slot 26. The opposite end of the link has a curved slot 31 in which slides the pin 32 in the rod 22. The ends of the pins 30 and 32 may be enlarged to prevent 'displacement of the pins 'from their slots, or a double strap such as shown at 25 may be used on both sides of the link 28 and the pin 30 extended through the link so as to engage and move along the two slots formed on either side of the link by the two straps. A single strap arrangement, however, is suiicient to operate satisfactorily the cover 7. Spring 23, being under constant compression, tends to push the rod upwardly and hold the cover 7 in a closed positlon. To open the cover, the rod is depressed by means of the handle 33 and a notch 34 is made 1n the front of the rod and functions as a catch when the rod 22 has been depressed suiiciently to move the notch below the permanent cover portion 5 of the can. Depression of the rod 22 due to the pin 32 moving along the slot 31 depresses the link to the right of the pivot and raises the link to the left of the pivot. The links connection to the cover by means of the pin 31 and slot 26 formed lby straps 25, raises the cover to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The position of the linkage when the cover is in open position has not been shown in the drawingl in Fig. 3 in the interestof simplicity. W en the cover 7 is open, the notch 34 will engage the permanent cover 5, preventing the cover from closing. When the notch 34 is released by moving the rod slightly rearwardly, the compression on the spring 25 will automatically snap the cover closed. Both of the mechanisms shown in the drawings used for closing the covers of the cans are easily operated by the same hand which holds the handle. The linkage and spring mechanisms are simple and positive in their action.

Referring to Fig. 4, the modified cover operating mechanism shown consists of a curved arm 35 fixed to the cover 7 and having its free end attached by means of a link 36 to the upper end of the trigger 37 pivoted in the handle y15 of the can at a point designated as 38. The arm 35 is drilled to receive the upper end of the tension spring 12, similarly anchored to the inside of the can at 11 as shown in Fig. 1.

In the modified form of cover operating mechanism shown in Fig. 5, the tension spring` 12 is again anchored to the inside of the can at 11 and is attached to the cover 7 by means of a de ending lug or strap 39. Attached to the un er side of the fixed cover 5 aretwo pivot supports 40 which carry a transverse pivot pin 4l. Rotatively mounted upon the pivot 41 is a crank arm substantially in the shape of a U; one upturned end 42 is attached to the cover 7, While the shorter end 42a is attached by means of the link 43 to an upright handle y44 pivoted in the handle 0f the can at 45. Movement of the handle 44 rearwardly from its full line position in Fig. 5 moves the arm 42a due to the connection between the handle 44 through the link 43 and, as the arm 42a and 42 is in onepiece, the cover 7 is raised to the dotted line position against the tension of the spring 12.

The operation of the cover by means of the mechanism shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is obvious from the drawings.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the positioning of the cover operating mechanism when the cover is in av raised position has been eliminated to avoid confusion in reading the drawings.

Cans of this type assure the customer of clean lubricant and prevent the accumulation of dirt and grit which collects in the oil where dispensing cans of this type are left open.

I claim as my invention:

1. A dispensing can of the character described comprising a container having a hinged cover and a pivoted lever forming part o f the handle, a link connection between the cover and lever for opening and closing the cover with the operation of the pivoted lever, and a spring connected to the cover and the interior of the can to keep the cover normali in a closed position.

2. A ispensing can of the character described comprising a container having a hingedy cover and a pivoted 'lever forming part of the handle, a curved arm attached to the cover adjacent the hinge, a spring attached to the cover and can holding the cover normally in a closed position,.a link between the pivoted lever and arm for manually operating the cover.

3. A dispensing can of the character described comprising a` container having a hinged cover, a manually operated element mounted on the can, a link connecting said element with the cover and opening the cover with the manual operation of the element, a spring connected to the cover and the can fr holding the cover normally in a closed position.

4. A dispensing can of the character described comprising a container having a hinged cover and a handle, a curved arm attached to the cover adjacent the hingeya trigger pivoted on the handle, linkage connecting the arm and trigger, and a spring Within the can adapted tomaintain the cover normally in a closed position.

5. A dispensing can of the character described comprising a container having a hinged cover and a handle2 a crank arm attached to the cover and pivoted Within the can, a manually operated element ivoted in the handle and connected by a lin to the crank arm, a spring attached to the cover inside of the 'can to maintain the cover normally in a closed position.

In testimony whereof I aX my signature.

` JOSEPH S. BOYLAN. 

